The Times from Munster, Indiana • 205

in brief tafs THURSDAY DECEMBER 8 2005 I PAGE B3 i ocalnews.nwitimes.com ACCUSED MttESIR I Itli not guilty, scheduled for trial in May Schultz was booked into the county jail Monday, nearly a month after he was charged with the offense, according to the county Sheriff's Department. His bond was doubled because he lives out of state, according to Harper's office. He is eligible to post $2,000 cash to cover the bond. Police said a Portage woman let Schultz play with the children at her home, despite knowing he was Illinois man pleads BY BOB KASARDA bkasardanwitimes.com 219.462,515! VALPARAISO Bond was doubled Wednesday to $20,000 for a South Holland man accused of molesting five children in Portage over the course of a single night. Ricky Lee Schultz, 48, made an initial appearance before Porter Circuit Court Judge Mary Harper on K.

1 j. II-. fir I 7 il times staff reports CHICAGO Airport performers spread yule cheer Boys choirs, Christmas carolers, "Nutcracker" dancers, barbershop quartets, high school choral groups, blues and jazz bands and Santa will be present in all four terminals at O'Hare and Midway airports during the holidays. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Tuesday, Curie High School, Best Practice High School and Simeon High School choral groups will perform. From 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, the Chicago Boys Choir will perform. From 2 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, barbershop quartets and Christmas carolers will perform.

From 3 to 6 p.m. Dec. 15, young ballerinas will dance to "The Nutcracker." From 11 am to 3 p.m. Dec. 16, holiday crafts by Chicago Children's Museum instructors will be available.

And Santa Claus will visit from 3 to 5 p.m. Dec. 16. From 2 to 5 p.m. Dec.

22 and 23, jazz and blues bands from Chicago will perform. Metra trains deliver holiday festivities Metra is featuring its "Santa Safety Trains" with festive holiday activities Sunday on the Metra Electric Main Line. Metra employees and volunteers work to plan these holiday events for families, celebrating the spirit of the holidays with candy, toys and magic displays. Metra also uses the event to underscore the importance of railroad safety for parents and their children. Round-trip tickets are $3.

Space limitation requires advance ticket sales only. For more information, call Metra Passenger Services at (312) 322-6777. Consumers to get payday loan relief Last June, Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed the Msgr. John Egan Payday Loan Reform Act into law, marking the first time the payday lending industry will be fully regulated in the state.

The law went into effect Tuesday. The act was promoted by the late Monsignor John Egan in 1999 after hearing the story of one of his parishioners who was victimized by a payday loan. The law provides such things as a fee cap to reduce the cost of using payday loans, an industrywide cap on borrowing to prevent over borrowing, a recovery period to break the cycle of debt created by back-to-back loans, a repayment plan to help borrowers and a recovery period to break the cycle of debt. SOUTH HOLLAND Police warn motorists to safeguard cars The South Suburban Association of Chiefs of Police wants to remind drivers to do their part to reduce vehicle theft Each year, police respond to auto thefts where drivers left their cars running and unattended with the keys in the ignition, according to the association. More than 7,000 vehicles were stolen last year in suburban Cook County alone.

Although it is not reported how many of these 7,000 cars had keys left in the ignition, most police chiefs in south and southwest Cook County report that such thefts happen all too often. H0MEW00D Park district accepting dog park fees Homewood-Flossmoor Park District is accepting annual registrations and renewals for its Rover's Run Dog Park for the upcoming year. Rover's Run Dog Park is a Cook County-regulated, membership-only dog park. The three-acre park features a large fenced area for running and playing, a separate fenced-off training area with its own entrance, an owner-doggie drinking fountain and more. Dogs must comply with new Cook County regulations.

They are additionally required to have an examination for communicable diseases. A veterinarian's signature is required on the registration form before a Rover's Run membership dog tag will be issued. Membership dog tag must be worn on dog's collar at all times in the park. Dog owners are responsible for their pets and following the rules. Individuals not in compliance will be cited.

Annual fee per dog is $15 for residents and $25 for nonresidents. Rover's Run is at 191st Street and Center Avenue. Registration forms are available at the Goldberg Administration building, 3301 Flossmoor Road in Flossmooror the Irwin Community Center, 18120 Highland Ave. in Hsmewood. Call (708) '957-0300 or 957-7275.

ill a convicted sex offender. Schultz was allowed to play with the Portage woman's three children two girls and a boy in the home's "toy room" on July 1. Two visiting children were also in the room. Police said Schultz fondled the genitals of all five children, all of whom are younger than 14 years old. The Portage woman said the fondling came to light about two days later, according to police.

Police said Schultz said the children fabricated the reports of fondling. tern between the county jail and downtown courthouse. Harper entered a not guilty plea on Menard's behalf to a UNJOO MENARD felony charge of juvenile battery. The charge carries a potential sentence of six months to three years behind bars. A trial was set for May 3, with preliminary hearings Feb.

7 and March 14. Police said Menard became upset Saturday after discovering her stepson threw away out the Christmas tree. The boy suffered severe bruising, welts and deep tissue wounds from the beating and suffered visible marks on his neck, police said. Police learned about the disturbance at the home when Menard called a national runaway hot line in Chicago and said she was going to harm herself and her child. An official with the hot line notified P.irter police.

era 1 Holiday craft hinges on five felony counts of child molesting. Each count carries a potential sentence of from two to eight years behind bars. Harper entered not guilty pleas on behalf of Schultz and set a trial for May 3, with preliminary hearings Feb. 7 and March 7. He was awarded the services of the county public defender's office and was ordered to have no further contact with the children.

daughter was merely a pawn in the plot. She said Thomas doesn't deserve clemency, because she's shown no remorse. LORI THOMAS "She's not sorry. She still tries to blame everything on Lisa," Goetz said. "Lisa was left tied up in there, and Lori never even went back and checked on her." Goetz and her husband, Glen, were among those whose spoke against clemency at a parole board hearing last week in Michigan City.

The board meets in Indianapolis today to hear Thomas' side of the story. Thomas is required to serve half her 17-year sentence. Inmates can apply for clemency after serving a third of that time. The parole board will make a recommendation to Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels, who has the final say.

Raymond Rizzo, parole boarti chairman, says clemency has become a rare occurrence. 7 STRY (SO -r ARTI Tr-c 78 sl 7 AHKAIL MCDAV1D, 10, of South Holland, above, makes a holiday door hanger during the Ho Ho Holiday craft activity Wednesday at the South Holland Pubic Library. LAUREN BURNS, 8, of South Holland, right also makes a holiday door hanger. Holiday songs and tales from around the globe will be presented by Dan LeMonnier at 7 p.m. Dec.

15. Pre-registration is necessary. Call the library at (708) 331-5262 for information. CHRISTOPHER SMITH PHOTOS Woman who robbed BK seeldng clemency Mom said depression led to child beating Woman forbidden from having contact with boy BY BOB KASARDA bkasardanwitimes.com 219.462.5151 VALPARAISO A Porter woman accused of wrapping a telephone cord around her stepson's neck and beating him 50 to 60 times with a wooden spoon blamed her actions on depression. Unjoo Menard, 43, said during an initial court appearance Wednesday she knew what she did was horrible and wants to get whatever help is necessary to bring her family back together.

A family reunion is not likely to take place soon. Porter Circuit Court Judge Mary Harper set Menard's bond at $5,000 and ordered her to have no contact with her 13-year-old son while the case proceeds. The boy is in foster care, Menard said. She said the boy is not her biological son and she did not adopt him. Wednesday's hearing was conducted via a teleconferencing sys- Parents of Hobart woman who died in freezer opposed BY PATRICK GUINANE pguinanenwitimes.com 311637078 INDIANAPOUS A Lake Station woman convicted of robbing a Valparaiso Burger King in 2000 and engineering a botched cover-up that killed an alleged accomplice will make a plea for clemency Wednesday.

Lori Thomas, 40, will appear before the Indiana Parole Board via closed-circuit television from Rockville Correctional Facility, where she is serving a 17-year sentence for theft, arson and reckless homicide. Lisa Goetz, 21, of Valparaiso, died in the September 2000 robbery. Both women worked at the restaurant. Prosecutors said they plotted to steal $4,000, then set a small fire that would make the theft look like robbery and arson. Goetz was left tied up in a restaurant freezer.

She died of hypothermia before beig discovered. Betty Goetz of Hebron said her.